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Location
The Conference will be held in Washington, DC. The Nation’s Capitol is one of the most popular destination cities in the United States visited by more than 15 million people each year. Home to countless monuments and museums, DC also has more than 150 embassies. With an excellent public transportation system (Metro) just steps from your hotel, seeing all the city has to offer is easy. And, since most museums and attractions are free, Washington is very affordable.
Hotel and Reservations Marriott Wardman Park
The hotel room block and all Conference sessions are at the Marriott Wardman Park. The great location of the hotel blends charm and modern sophistication with an historical landmark setting. Having hosted a long list of U.S. Presidents, dignitaries and other VIPs, the Washington Marriott Wardman Park is the perfect choice among luxury hotels in downtown Washington DC. Situated on 16 acres of gorgeously maintained gardens, this hotel is just steps from some of Washington's most popular tourist attractions and neighborhoods. You'll also have your choice of restaurants with over 100 eateries within walking distance of the hotel.
To reserve a hotel room, you may make your reservations online or call the numbers above. Note that reservations will be accepted only when accompanied by a credit card guarantee or a deposit of the first night’s room and tax. While neither the Marriott Wardman Park nor the GSA staff can assist in finding or assigning roommates, individuals looking for roommates may check the online bulletin board at the Drosophila Conference website.
Again, the deadline for RECEIPT of hotel reservations is March 17. However, we encourage you to make your reservation as soon as possible as the block may sell out early.
All rates are per room, per night and do not include local room tax of 14.5%. Maximum occupancy per room is four people.
Room Reservation Guarantee and Cancellation
Reservation must be guaranteed with one-night’s room deposit by major credit card. It is the hotel’s policy to charge your credit card the one night's room and tax deposit at the time you make your reservation. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance of the day of arrival to obtain a refund of the deposit.
The hotel offers both valet (currently $37 daily) and self-park (currently $32 daily) Washington, DC is a very “walkable” city and the Metro system is easy to navigate so a car is generally not needed.
As part of security procedures, applications for visas are sent to the U.S. State Department for a security review. For further information, visit the State Department Web site at http://travel.state.gov/visa. You can also visit the *International Visitors Office" Web site at http://www.nationalacademies.org/visas. Requests for Letters of Invitation For security purposes, letters of invitation can only be sent to individuals that have registered for the meeting. After you have registered, you will be given a link to generate your letter of invitation. If you have questions, please contact Suzy Brown (sbrown@genetics-gsa.org).
NEW for International Visitors Visitors traveling to the U.S.A. from all countries including the visa waiver countries are required to register personal details online at least three (3) days in advance of travel. For further details about the new system called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), go here.
VISAS We advise scientists traveling to the United States to apply for a visa as early as possible (at least three months before visa is needed). Please check with your local U.S. consulate or embassy to find out the earliest that you may apply for a visa:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/questions_embassy.html. Because of the number of visas being processed and the need to be thorough with the reviews, this can take as long as 8 weeks, especially for those countries that are on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List. Attendees from these countries should start the application process at least six months in advance of the meeting.
VISA Problems For applications that have not been approved 30 days after the interview, you should complete an on-line questionnaire. You will be asked to name the meeting (51st Annual Drosophila Research Conference) and explain the purpose of your visit. The questionnaire can be found at http://www7.nationalacademies.org/visas/Visa_Questionnaire.html.
Visa Waiver Program (VWP): Some foreign participants may not need visas if they are citizens of any of the countries on the Visa Waiver Program. ALL citizens of the Visa Waiver Program are required to have Machine-Readable Passports (MRP) in order to travel to the United States without a visa. Without an MRP, you will be required to apply for a visa. For further information on passport requirements, visit the Department of Homeland Security Web site. All foreign visitors (including Visa Waiver Program travelers) will be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival in the United States. For additional information, visit the US-Visit Program Web site. For the list of countries, visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html#countries
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Important Dates & Deadlines
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